Authors: Bergquist R, Weber M, Schwenk M, Ulseth S, Helbostad JL, Vereijken B, Taraldsen K Background Many balance and strength tests exist that have been designed for older seniors, often aged ≥70 years. To guide strategies for preventing functional decline, valid and reliable tests are needed to detect early signs of functional decline in young seniors. Currently, little is known about which tests are being used in young seniors and their methodological quality. This two-step review aims to 1) identify commonly used tests of balance and strength, and 2) evaluate their measurement properties in young seniors. Methods First, a systematic literatureRead More

Authors: Gordt K1, Mikolaizak AS2, Nerz C2, Barz C2, Gerhardy T1, Weber M1, Becker C2, Schwenk M3,4,5. Abstract BACKGROUND: Tools to detect subtle balance deficits in high-functioning community-dwelling older adults are lacking. The Community Balance and Mobility Scale (CBM) is a valuable tool to measure balance deficits in this group; however, it is not yet available in the German language. OBJECTIVE: The aim was 1) to translate and cross-culturally adapt the CBM into the German language and 2) to investigate the measurement properties of the German CBM (G-CBM). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The original CBM was translated into the German language according to establishedRead More

Dr Lis Boulton moved into behaviour change research following a successful career in management in the health and social care sector, working for local government and various charities as both a service provider and commissioner. Her PhD considered the involvement of older adults in designing and implementing interventions to promote physical activity. Lis currently works on the EC PreventIT project, designing and evaluating an App- based behavioural intervention. Lis has a particular interest in the translation of evidence into practice. She is Chair of the Board of a large local charity, Age UK Calderdale & Kirklees, and is aRead More

Abstract BACKGROUND: Fall-related psychological concerns are common among older adults, potentially contributing to functional decline as well as to restriction of activities and social participation. To effectively prevent such negative consequences, it is important to understand how even very low concern about falling could affect physical activity behavior in everyday life. We hypothesized that concern about falling is associated with a reduction in diversity, dynamics, and performance of daily activities, and that these features can be comprehensively quantified in terms of complexity of physical activity patterns. METHODS: A sample of 40 community-dwelling older adults were assessed for concern about fallingRead More

Full paper : LiFE – Review As published in Gerontology September 15, 2017. This systematic review provides a comprehensive overview of the available evidence concerning integrated functional exercise training in older adults. Some studies reported advantages of this training concept compared to structured exercise training, including higher adherence, increased effectiveness for improving selected motor per- formances, and simultaneously increasing PA andReducing falls. However, the number of RCTs was low, and studies used different training concepts hampering their comparability. NRS provided some evidence about the effectiveness of the behavioural change concept and the feasibility of integrated training in impaired target popu- lations. MoreRead More

Full paper: sensors-17-00622-v2 Abstract: The European population is ageing, and there is a need for health solutions that keep older adults independent longer. With increasing access to mobile technology, such as smartphones and smartwatches, the development and use of mobile health applications is rapidly growing. To meet the societal challenge of changing demography, mobile health solutions are warranted that support older adults to stay healthy and active and that can prevent or delay functional decline. This paper reviews the literature on mobile technology, in particular wearable technology, such as smartphones, smartwatches, and wristbands, presenting new ideas on how this technology canRead More

Full paper: D8.2.White paper of project results first release.v1.0 This deliverable reports on the results that have been obtained so far, half-way through the PreventIT project, in the form of a white paper that covers the development of i) the content and behavioural change strategy of the lifestyle-integrated intervention, ii) tools for risk screening and profiling, iii) the back-end and front-end technology of the mHealth system under development in PreventIT, the so-called iPAS, and iv) intervention outcomes regarding functional performance and behavioural complexity. It also reports on two pilot studies that tested the two intervention arms on a sample from theRead More

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 689238.